23 Days to Purdue Football: Ralph Bolden

We're still holding out hope that today's player can still have an impact on the season. After talking with Bleacher Report's Tim Cary he stated that coach Hope plans to burn the redshirt on Bolden if he can contribute at all this season. Since Keith Carlos is sidelined by a stress fracture I can see the potential need. Reggie Pegram could see some early time, but I think we can all agree we would love to see #23 back in the backfield.

Ralph Bolden - Jr.

Hometown: Folkston, GA (Charlton Co. HS)

Running Back

5'9" 194 pounds

2010 Projection: possible redshirt due to torn ACL

I am not as optimistic about seeing Bolden play this year as some others are. He only had surgery on May 4^th, meaning that he would have four months to the day between surgery and game 1. He is already doing some light drill work in practice, but he clearly won't be ready for the opener. It is his second ACL tear in the same knee too. Robbie Hummel has more time to recover and his sport puts les stress on the knee. Because of that, I just don't see Bolden coming back this year.

It's a damn shame too. If not for a gimpy hamstring in the season finale against Indiana he would have gone from nowhere to 1,000-yard back in just one year. He beat out incumbent Jaycen Taylor for the starting tailback position and took his first carry of 2009 78 yards for a touchdown. That nearly tripled his career output to that point, as he only had 28 yards in 2008. He would finish that game against the Rockets with 234 yards and two scores. That was the third best game in school history.

For the season Bolden was named second team all-Big Ten (a first for a Purdue back since Mike Alstott) with 935 yards on 200 carries, nine touchdowns, and 261 yards receiving on 20 catches plus two more scores. Along the way he had huge games at Oregon and Michigan, helping Purdue win in Ann Arbor for the first time in over 40 years. It is safe to say that Pegram, Al-Terek McBurse, Dan Dierking, and Jared Crank have their work cut out if they are going to replace Bolden.

Bolden went to the same high school as DeVarro Greaves and David Pender, giving an official Georgia pipeline. He is majoring in law and society, and there is hope he can play this year. He had quite a high school career despite transferring from a Florida high school to Georgia. Unfortunately, his knee injury suffered in high school limited his production in 2008. That is yet another reason I would be surprised to see him on the field.

Boilermakings Notes after the Jump:

Diamond Leung: Oregon Ducks remember McArthur Court - ESPN
I had to share this great article about the loss off a fantastic arena. I wish I had gone to the game just to see it in person.

Repairing run D a team effort for Purdue - Big Ten Blog - ESPN
This is a very true article. With all the experience we have it must be a team effort.

Kiper ranks Big Ten's top pro prospects - Big Ten Blog - ESPN
No surprise here. Ryan Kerrigan is our best pro prospect.

Five Big Ten DEs on Hendricks watch - Big Ten Blog - ESPN
Kerrigan is also on the Hendricks Watch list.

the kenpom.com blog
Poor Cuonzo Martin's Missouri State team had the most unlikely overtime of 2010.

Top 10: 2010’s Top 10 Biggest Impact Transfers – LostLettermen.com
Robert Marve is named as a top transfer for this season.